The Space Between
by Medie
Summary: During Zack's 'death' he discovers some truths...truths he can't pass on to Cory or Max. (post ep)


TITLE: The Space Between  
AUTHOR: M. Edison   
FEEDBACK: Oh yes please! Be gentle though. ;-)  
CATEGORY: AU. Post Ep.  
RATING: PG  
SPOILERS: Spoilers for "...And Jesus Brought A Casserole (2)"  
SUMMARY: During Zack's 'death' he discovers some truths...truths he can't pass on to Cory or Max.  
DISCLAIMER: None of the characters or concepts of Dark Angel belong to me but Cory does.  
  
  
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The Space Between  
by: M. Edison  
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I didn't feel the bullet hit me - kill me - all I know is one second I was alive...now... I'm  
not.  
  
Funny though. I didn't expect this.  
  
Religion's not something Manticore taught us. Closest thing we ever had was those stories Ben   
used to make up for us when we couldn't sleep. An afterlife is never really something I concerned  
myself with.  
  
But here I am.   
  
I remember a cartoon movie you once got me to watch Cory, All Dogs Go To Heaven, I thought it   
was a waste of time then but now I have to wonder...do all good transgenics go to heaven?  
  
Never really thought about it before. But I do now.  
  
Don't have much of a choice do I?  
  
I know you'll probably hate me for doing what I did. Shooting myself. But I had to save Max. I   
know you understand that part of it. But, I know you'd argue that we could have taken one of the  
X-5s on the base. There were plenty of them.   
  
You'd be adamant that I have a responsibility to protect the others. But I also know you'll take  
up that responsibility for me. You never realized that I was preparing you for it. Just in case.  
Just like you'll unconsciously begin to groom Max. Just in case.   
  
I remember, before we left to go back, when I pulled you aside and made you promise to protect   
the others...if something happened to me. You laughed it off. Said I was too damn stubborn to   
die.   
  
Any other time I probably would be...  
  
But it was Max's life...  
  
You have to get out of Manticore. You and Max. And you have to get out fast. Find the Krit, Syl  
and the others...get them to new locations.  
  
Lydecker can be useful...for now.   
  
Manticore wants him almost as bad as they want us. I don't know exactly why. But, and this is   
the freaky part baby sister, I will.   
  
I don't know if it's a part of being dead or what...but I'm starting to understand things. Things   
I didn't before.  
  
I know why Lydecker groomed us to lead the others. You and me. I know why he picked us in particular.  
  
See, Cor, he recreated his wife in Max but he'd already created the children they were going to   
have in us.   
  
You always said it seemed there was a closer bond between me and you than there was with everyone  
else. That you couldn't understand why but that there was.  
  
You were right.   
  
We're brother and sister.  
  
The ova and sperm that provided the original genetic material that made us up? They came from   
Lydecker and his dead wife.   
  
I can hear you now...you'd have a grade A large fit. The idea of being *his* child...  
  
If things like that still mattered to me, I'd freak too.  
  
But they don't.   
  
Nothing much matters to the dead.  
  
Except those they leave behind...  
  
The others...our 'family'...  
  
Take care of them, Cory, please.   
  
I know your focus is escape right now...but soon, when you have time to think. You'll realize   
what's needed of you.  
  
Be careful baby sister...  
  
You'll need to be watchful, keep an eye out. Things are going to get a lot harder from here on   
out.  
  
Manticore knows what you look like as an adult, so it'll be harder to hide. Plus there are the   
X-7s to deal with. They're a lot harder to beat than even Red Series. You're going to have to   
find their weaknesses and you'll have to find them fast.  
  
I don't want to leave you like this. You or Max. But it's a sacrifice I needed to make.  
  
See, I finally got it.   
  
I understand what you, and Max, tried to explain to me.  
  
I understand now the risks you were willing to take for the others. And the reason Max wouldn't  
leave Seattle.  
  
I understood it too late but I do understand.  
  
Being physically free wasn't enough. Our hearts had to be free too.   
  
That's why Max wouldn't leave Seattle. It's her home. To leave because of Manticore meant it   
still ran her life, our lives, and she wouldn't let it. That's why you would take ridiculous   
risks to keep the others happy. Why, even when we were at Manticore, you would sneak out at   
night to visit the others in their beds and tell them stories. You weren't free in body but   
they couldn't touch your spirit.  
  
In the instant I realized Max was going to die, unless I did something, I understood. It hit   
me...an epiphany I guess it was.  
  
When I pulled that trigger, I became free. Free in heart and in soul. They can't touch me now  
baby sister.   
  
Peace was a foreign concept to me until now.   
  
I wish I could share it with you but I can't.  
  
Not yet.   
  
I have to go now...I don't fully understand why yet. But I have to go.  
  
Don't cry too much Cory, I know it's useless to tell you not to cry at all but please try not  
to cry too much. I never did know what to do, or say, when you cried. All I know was when you  
cried, inside I cried too. You were my conscience, my heart...through you I let myself feel. I  
didn't have time for emotions...but you did. You made the time.  
  
Maybe that's why you cried so hard sometimes. You knew you were crying for the both of us.  
  
Cry, baby sister, cry for a time but not long...  
  
There's too much work to be done...  
  
I wish I could stay and help, but I can't.   
  
I have to go.  
  
I wish I could have told you, and Max, this while I was still alive...  
  
Wish you could have heard it....  
  
I love you, baby sister. I'll always love you.  
  
Watch your back...  
  
-*-*-*-*-*-  
  
In her cell, curled up on the bunk, Cory lifted her head with a look of confusion on her face.  
  
"Zack?"  
  
Nothing.  
  
But she could have sworn she'd heard his voice saying *I love you baby sister,*  
  
It was impossible....  
  
Yet she still answered, "I'll always love you too, big brother."  
  
*Watch your back,*  
  
"Wouldn't do anything less..." With determination in her eyes, she added. "Don't worry, I'll   
take care of them, I promise..."  
  
Closing her eyes, she rested her head on her forearm.  
  
"Good bye."  
  
Finis 


End file.
